Oak board is the most common hardwood lumber. Almost every joinery store sells 3-4 kinds of oak boards. In Estonia, American, Ukrainian and Estonian oak is sold. Oak boards from Croatia, Serbia and Germany are less common.
Why oak is so popular?
The oak is popular for at least two reasons.
First of all, oak was and still is the classic type of wood for interiors. As the years go by, designers and architects continue to use oak boards in their projects. Thanks to its noble texture and color, this species never gets outdated.
Secondly, the technical qualities of oak are equally suited to the customer and the craftsman. Both appreciate oak for its durability and reliability. In addition, it is relatively well tinted and drilled. Therefore, woodworkers like to take on projects where oak boardsare needed.
Important features of oak board manufacture
However, there are complexities in production as well. Woodworkers who process oak in the early stages emphasize two features of oak boards:
- Unpredictable knots
After sawing a high-quality log, dozens of natural defects can be found inside. Thus, the quality of the wood will automatically fall.
- Drying difficulty and duration
For wood drying technologists, oak is a complex quest. How to dry it quickly and efficiently? There is no unequivocal answer to this question yet. Therefore, the result is undried wood, or dried wood that took 2-3 times longer than other types of wood. Our company prefers the second approach.
These difficulties affect the final cost of oak boards.
Types of oak boards
In the European region, there are at least three types of oak boards: American, European,and Russianoak. These three groupshavespecial designations for different types of boards.
Anyway, all classifications divide primary wood products into 4 types:
- Unedged board
- Edged board
- Calibrated board
- Core beam
Within each of these types there are different classifications based on quality, thickness, etc.
Usually, carpentry workshops use edged and unedged boards. In our articles, you can read more about their features.